Guides to the UK settlement English and knowledge tests
To settle in the UK you usually need to prove your English and pass the Life in the UK test. These free, plain-English guides explain what each test is, the real numbers behind it, and how to prepare, so you know exactly what you are walking into. Speak & Stay then lets you practise, with every mistake explained in your own language.
The B1 English speaking test for ILR
The Trinity GESE Grade 5 SELT, explained: the two phases, how it is marked, what you need to pass, and a five-step study plan.
The Life in the UK test
Format, the real pass rate (around 70%, and why it varies so much), what it covers, why people fail, and how to prepare.
The B2 English change coming in 2027
From 26 March 2027 many settlement routes need B2 English, not B1. What is changing, what B2 means, and how to prepare early.
- 1Check your level
- 2Practise conversations
- 3Prepare your topic
- 4Do a full mock test
- 5Book the test when you are ready
The one thing that matters most
Across all of these, the people who pass are not the ones with perfect English or a photographic memory. They are the ones who practised in the real format, out loud, and understood exactly what to fix, in a language they think in. That is the whole idea behind Speak & Stay.
Practise free, in your language.
A three-minute level check with the examiner, no card needed.
Start free